STRUCTURE COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM

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CONSTITUTION OF COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM

  1. TITLE
    The Forum shall be called the County Wexford Community Forum.
  2. Mission to develop and bring forward the views of the community and voluntary sector in a coordinated way, based on the ideals of consensus in order to promote quality community living in County Wexford
  3. OBJECTIVES
    To provide a forum for community and voluntary groups to network, build linkages, consult and be consulted on a wide variety of topics relating to the social, economic and cultural development of County Wexford.
  4. GEOGRAPHICAL DEFINITIONS
    The County Wexford Community Forum shall cover the entire county of Wexford. Each of the four Area Fora shall correspond to local electoral areas as set down by the Boundary Commission.
  5. MEMBERSHIP
    1. The County Wexford Community Forum shall be composed of those community and voluntary groups throughout county Wexford who fulfill the membership criteria and who are accepted into membership by the Executive.
    2. Membership is open to all community and voluntary groups fulfilling the membership criteria. Membership is only open to groups, individuals cannot be members.
    3. Groups shall be accepted into membership following ratification by the Executive of the County Wexford Community Forum and appropriate area committee.
    4. A Group’s membership of the Forum can be terminated at a full meeting of the Forum on the recommendation of the Executive. Prior to such a decision being made the Group concerned shall be allowed to address the Forum.
    5. Each member group of the County Wexford Community Forum shall be entitled to one vote.
  6. OVERALL STRUCTURE
    1. The Director of Community and Enterprise will facilitate community fora to assist the community sector in the process.
    2. The County Wexford Community Forum shall comprise of its registered member groups in the county. It shall have an overall coordinating Executive.
    3. There shall be four Area Fora, each with an Area Committee.
    4. The Executive shall set up ad hoc Thematic Working Groups from time to time.
  7. EXECUTIVE
    7.1 There shall be a countywide Executive comprising of:
    • the Convenor and Deputy Convenor of each Area Forum (8 members),
    • the nominees to the County Development Board,
    • the nominees to the Strategic Policy Committees.

    7.2 The Convenor and Deputy Convenor shall automatically be the area’s representatives on the Executive. They shall take their positions on the Executive at the March meeting of the Executive.

    7.3 No business shall be transacted unless a quorum is present. Seven Executive members personally present shall form a quorum.

    7.4 The procedures for nominating representatives of the Country Wexford Community Forum to other bodies (excluding the County Development Board and the Strategic Policy Committees) shall be decided by the Executive.

    7.5 The Executive shall operate using the principle of consensus.

    7.6 The Executive shall formulate and channel the views of the County Wexford Community Forum as required.

  8. CHAIRPERSON OF COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM
    8.1 The Executive shall elect its Chairperson from among the members of the Executive at its first meeting after the AGM each year, that person shall be the Chairperson of the Forum.

    8.2 The Chairperson of the Executive may only serve two terms, in total, in this position.

  9. AREA FORUM STRUCTURES
    9.1 AREA FORA

    9.1.1 Each electoral area i.e. Gorey, Enniscorthy, New Ross and Wexford has a Community Forum. The Area Fora act as a sub-structure to the County Forum.

    9.1.2 Representatives have been selected to sit on the County Development Board and the Strategic Policy Committees.

    9.2 AREA COMMITTEES

    9.2.1 Each Area Forum has a coordinating committee known as the Area Committee comprising of six members elected by the Forum, two of these members, a convenor and deputy convenor from each area shall be the area’s representatives on the executive. The executive will formulate and channel the views of the County Wexford Community Fora. Executive nominees to various bodies are deemed to be members of the area committee for the duration of their membership/ nomination to that body. Each nominee shall only serve a total of two terms.

    9.2.2 Each year vacancies on the Area Committees shall be filled by annual election at the AGM of the Area Forum.

    9.2.3 In the event of a casual vacancy the Area Committee may co-opt a committee member for the remainder of the term. In the event of this vacancy being a Convenor or Deputy Convenor the Area Committee must replace the vacancy by election at the next meeting. The term of office of these members shall lapse at the next Area Forum AGM.

    9.2.4 Each member group shall nominate one person from their Area Forum area for election to the committee.

    9.2.5 The Area Committee shall meet immediately following the Area Forum AGM. At this meeting the Area Committee shall elect an Area Convenor and Deputy Convenor.

    9.2.6 The Area Convenor shall also be the Convenor of the Area Forum.

    9.2.7 Area Convenors can only serve in this position for a total of two terms.

    9.2.8 Four members shall form a quorum for a meeting of an Area Committee.

    9.2.9 Rotation of members Of Area Committees

    Each member of an Area Committee shall serve for a max of 5 years and no more than 3 years as an officer.  These members shall not be eligible for nomination for immediate re-election.  They shall become eligible for election commencing with the elections taking place after one year.
  10. AD HOC THEMATIC WORKING GROUPS
    10.1 The Executive shall set up Ad Hoc Thematic Working Groups to undertake specific areas of work as appropriate. These Ad Hoc Thematic Working Groups shall be allocated a specific time frame for completion of their work.

    10.2 The members of these Ad Hoc Thematic Working Groups shall be co-opted from among the member groups.

  11. 11. NOMINEES TO THE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD
    11.1 The County Wexford Community Forum shall elect two members to the County Development Board every two years, at the AGM of the County Wexford Community Forum.

    11.2 Nominees shall only serve a total of two terms.

    11.3 Election shall take place every two years, at a full meeting of the County Wexford Community Forum.

    11.4 A maximum of 25 months shall elapse between elections

  12. REPRESENTATIVES ON STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES
    12.1 The County Wexford Community Forum shall elect its nominees, to each Strategic Policy Committee on which it has a seat, every two years, or as required.

    12.2 Representatives shall only serve a total of two terms.

    12.3 Election shall take place every two years, at a full meeting of the County Wexford Community Forum.

    12.4 A maximum of 25 months shall elapse between elections.

    12.5 Membership of one SPC only.

  13. MEETINGS
    13.1 ORDINARY FORUM MEETINGS OF THE COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM

    13.1.1 The County Wexford Community Forum shall hold a minimum of two meetings a year.

    13.1.2 The Chairperson of the Forum, the Area Convenors, the Representatives on the County Development Board and Representatives on the Strategic Policy Committees shall report on developments to the bi-annual meetings of the Forum.

    13.1.3 The Director of Community and Enterprise shall give an information input.

    13.1.3 Notice of the time, date, and place of a Forum meeting, together with Agenda for the meeting shall be required to be sent to all registered members five days before any meeting of the Forum.

    13.2 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM

    13.2.1 The Annual General Meeting of the County Wexford Community Forum shall be held in the second quarter of each year.  Fifty members shall form a quorum.

    13.3 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM

    13.3.1 A special General meeting may be called in one of the following ways;
    • The Executive may summon a Special General Meeting.
    • On the signature of 50 registered members stating the purpose of such a meeting and on giving seven days notice to the Office of the Director of Community and Enterprise.
    • The Director of Community and Enterprise may summon a Special General Meeting.
    13.4 AREA FORUM
    13.4.1 Each Area Forum shall hold a minimum of 1 meeting a year, which will be the AGM and will be held in advance of the County AGM.

    13.5 AREA COMMITTEES
    13.5.1 The Area Committees shall meet a minimum of four times a year.

    13.6 EXECUTIVE
    13.6.1 The Executive shall hold a minimum of four meetings a year.

    13.6.2 Attendance records shall be kept at both the Executive and at Area Committee meetings and reported to the AGM of the County Wexford Community Forum.

    13.6.3 The Director of Community and Enterprise or his/her nominees shall support the operation of the Forum and shall be eligible to attend and contribute to all meetings. They shall have no voting rights.

  14. SECRETARIAT 14.1 The secretarial requirements of the meetings of the Forum shall be met by the Office of the Director of Community and Enterprise.
  15. VOTING
    15.1 All votes shall be by secret ballot.

    15.2 Each registered group will receive a voting card prior to the meeting at which the election will take place. A voting paper will only be issued on presentation of the card.

    15.3 All votes shall be organised by the Office of the Director of Community and Enterprise.

    15.4 In the case of elections to the County Development Board, Strategic Policy Committees and Area Committees prior nomination of candidates to the office of the Director of Community and Enterprise, five working days before the meeting, shall be required.
  16. CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP OF COUNTY WEXFORD COMMUNITY FORUM.
    The criteria for membership are:
    • Groups must be active in the county and must be community based.
    • Each Group can join only one Area Forum
    • Groups must have a minimum membership of five and be open to new membership.
    • Groups must have an adopted set of rules or constitution.
    • Groups must be in existence for a minimum of six months prior to affiliation.
    • Groups must complete an official Application Form and lodge it with the Director of Community and Enterprise.
    • Groups must hold regular meetings and AGMs as appropriate.

    16.2. These criteria shall be amended by the Executive of the County Wexford Forum at any time.

    16.3 Non Eligible Bodies
    The following groups are not eligible for full membership: State or semi state bodies; local development agencies; political parties, groups who have representational rights through national pillars e.g. trade unions, farming and business organisations.

  17. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION 17.1 This constitution shall be amended by a majority vote at a meeting of the County Wexford Community Forum. Draft amendments must be submitted to the Office of Community and Enterprise fourteen days in advance of a meeting and circulated with the agenda for the meeting.

       
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